POLYAMOROUS MARRIAGE
Polygamy means one person having multiple wives. But in polyamory, both the partners take multiple lovers with the full knowledge and consent of all.
How does the increasing popularity of polyamory and non-monogamous relationships challenge traditional ideas of marriage and commitment? And what does the Bible say on this?
The increasing popularity of polyamory and non-monogamous relationships does challenge traditional ideas of marriage and commitment in several ways as follows:
1
Definition of Marriage:
Traditional marriage has been defined as a lifelong commitment between two individuals of opposite sexes. Polyamorous and non-monogamous relationships involve multiple partners, challenging the notion of exclusivity and lifelong commitment.
2
Monogamy as Norm:
Monogamy has been the societal norm for marriage in many cultures for a long time. The rise of polyamory challenges this norm by questioning whether monogamy is the only valid form of romantic relationship.
3
Emotional and Sexual Boundaries:
Polyamorous relationships often involve different emotional and sexual boundaries compared to monogamous relationships. This challenges the idea that romantic and sexual fulfillment can only be achieved within the confines of a monogamous partnership.
As for the Bible’s perspective, interpretations vary widely anong believers. Most people argue that the Bible supports monogamous relationships based on passages like Genesis 2:24 “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh”.
However, some other people point to instances of polygamy in the Bible, such as King Solomon, having multiple wives, as evidence that the concept of marriage was not always strictly monogamous in biblical times.
Many religious communities are therefore grappling with how to reconcile traditional teachings with modern understandings of relationships and sexuality.
This leads us to invoke the biblical concept of the law of first mention, also known as the principle of first mention. It is a concept used in biblical interpretation and hermeneutics. It says that the first time a word, concept, or idea is mentioned in the Bible sets a precedent or provide a foundational understanding for how that word or concept is to be understood throughout the rest of the text or througout the Bible.
For example, if a significant concept like “love” or “sacrifice” is introduced in a particular way in the earlier parts of the Bible, subsequent references to that concept will have to build upon or be interpreted in light of that initial mention.
Though, in applying the law of first mention, context, literary genre, historical background, and the overall message of Scripture must be allowed to play their roles in understanding biblical passages accurately.
So, back to the question, what does the Bible say about monogamous, polygamous and polyamorous marriage relationships?
The first place the Bible mentions marriage is in Genesis 2:24. This passage says “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
This passage says:
… a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife…
AND NOT
… some MEN shall leave their fathers and mothers and cleave to their wife or wives.
The conclusion therefore is that monoandrous, polyandrous, polyamorous and other variations have no biblical authority. They are all sexual perversions against how God intended marriage to be in the beginning.
